The purpose of the county council is to streamline and coordinate existing government services for families seeking services for their children. Service coordination provides the venue for families with multiple and complex problems to effectively address their needs through both traditional services and natural supports. The County Service Coordination Mechanism serves as the guiding document for coordination of services in the county.

MCFCFC seeks to empower and stabilize families while helping them manage and or reduce services. The following values guide our services:

Services are family centered;driven by the needs of children, youth, and families; built on strengths, and responsive to the cultural, racial, and ethnic differences of the family and their community.

Services empower parents/guardians to take personal responsibility for the needs of their families; policies and practices of organizations support and include parents / guardians to enhance the parent / guardian – child relationship rather than weaken the relationship or isolate the parent/ guardian from his / her child

Services are comprehensive, and a continuum of services is available.

Services focus on primary prevention, early intervention, and strengthening the ability of children, youth, and families to help themselves.

Services can be accessed in a timely fashion to meet a child / family’s needs.

Services are of high quality and developmentally appropriate, with timely evaluations.

Services are provided by culturally competent providers.

Services are flexible.

Services are community based and community delivered, allowing referrals to be made to communities in closest proximity.

Services are available and accessible to all in a variety of settings, using a combination of public, private, community, and personal resources.

Services are focused on least restrictive care and community based services are attempted prior to youth placement in institutional care.

Transitional services are available for youth returning to the community and family.

Service outcomes are monitored and evaluated and revisions are implemented as needed.

Parent Advocates are offered to families

Target Population

MCFCFC Service Coordination serves youth (age birth through 24) with multiple needs who reside in Mahoning County and whose needs or the needs of the family are beyond the capacity of one system to coordinate.Children who are eligible for the Help Me Grow program will receive service coordination through referral into that program.

Services Offered

Mahoning County Family and Children First Service Coordination Mechanism works with local providers to offer families the following continuum of services: